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Natalie DuPres
Countess Natalie DuPres was a widow from France, living in Martinique after the French Revolution. As such, she retained her title, and her head. Arrival in America Natalie DuPres came to America with her brother, Andre DuPres, for her niece Josette's wedding to marry Barnabas Collins. She arrived with her maid, Angelique (368/369) frightfully early. Relationship with the Collins Family Haughty, arrogant and pretentious, The Countess never went out of her way to make friends with the Collins Family, but she commanded the respect of all around her, was a shrewd ally and difficult enemy. She proved to be the perfect foil for Joshua Collins who reminded her France had rid itself of titles just like the United State, to which she replied "Precisely why I live in Martinique" (368/369). She sympathized with Naomi Collins, noting her weakness for sherry, showing she could be a good friend who never gossiped or schemed. Because of Naomi's incapacity and the threat to Josette, Natalie often sought to help Joshua solve family problems which he would not deal with directly because of his great pride. After Josette's suicide Natalie remained at Collinwood to try and help end the difficulties her family's arrival seemed to set off. She seemed to distantly approve of Josette's choice of Barnabas and was shocked when Josette began an inexplicable dalliance with his same-aged uncle, Jeremiah Collins (375). At this point she more openly supported Barnabas, trying to convince him to marry Josette immediately (379) instead of waiting for the planned wedding date. Once Josette married Jeremiah she remained friendly with Barnabas, but tried to stop him from seeing her. She tried to stop the duel between Barnabas and Jeremiah (384). Whether Natalie was Catholic or a Huguenot, Abigail Collins was certainly suspicious of her. A study in contrasts, Natalie was educated, cultured, and a widow whereas Abigail was uneducated, and had lived in Collinsport her entire life as an old maid. One of the few things they had in common was both were very superstitious, although Natalie would admit it and Abigail would not. Natalie's love of reading Tarot cards did not help at all. Search for the witch Natalie initially scoffs at Abigail's claim there is a witch at Collinwood, but when she accompanies Abigail on a search of Victoria Winters bedroom after Joshua was turned into a cat and located Victoria's charm bracelet, Natalie becomes convinced that Abigail was correct (382). On several occasions Natalie and The Countess go to the Collinsport Gaol and courthouse together. One area Natalie never agreed with Abigail on was Reverend Trask. Natalie and Trask hated each other from the first time they met to the last. Although Natalie was convinced of Victoria Winter's guilt until she realized it was Angelique all along (449) she and Reverend Trask never saw eye to eye. Once Joshua convinced Natalie that Angelique was the witch, they performed a ceremony which brought Bathia Mapes to them (449). After the death of Josette Josette's death had a dramatic effect on Natalie. She seemed to loose a lot of her haughtiness and instead really began to try and help others. She also seemed to loose a lot of her spirit and became much easier to dominate and intimidate. Only a few times, usually involving a grave injustice such as Rev. Trask's persecution of Victoria Winters, did she seem to be her old self. Final fate History did not tell us of the final fate of Countess DuPres. No one knew what happened to her after the night Bathia Mapes arrived at Collinwood (450). But when Barnabas Collins traveled back in time to try and prevent Victoria Winters from being hanged (661-667), he also delayed the death of Lt. Nathan Forbes. This gave Nathan time to locate Natalie and ask her help (665). He brought her to the Eagle Hill Cemetery and they found the secret room on the Collins Family Mausoleum where they found Barnabas in his coffin (665). However; before they could destroy Barnabas, Ben Stokes arrived and killed Forbes, and frightened Natalie, probably causing her to have a heart attack. He buried them both in unmarked graves (666). DuPres, Natalie DuPres, Natalie DuPres, Natalie